


Carnival Rides

by SadGelatin



Series: Still Want To Know You [3]
Category: Batman - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Different First Meeting, Alternate Universe - No Capes, Carnivals, Cotton Candy, M/M, Some Fluff, friends can be a hindrance, hand holding, oversized bears
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-30
Updated: 2019-01-30
Packaged: 2019-10-14 08:31:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,745
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17505170
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SadGelatin/pseuds/SadGelatin
Summary: After the cotton candy was finished, the bear was won (after a few tries), and the carnival was closing, Dick walked with Jason back to the parking lot, and to where Jason had parked his bike. "How the fuck do you intend to get this thing home on that?" Dick asked, gesturing to the bear slung around Jason's shoulders.There's a carnival, and another kind of date where there wasn't one planned. Fair games and oversized bears abound.





	Carnival Rides

**Author's Note:**

> no additional warnings
> 
> wow this one was incredibly difficult and i have no idea why. i ended up kind of hating it but here it is anyways. enjoy?

"Hey, Dick." Dick stopped at the bottom of his stoop and stared at the woman standing up by his door, holding two brown paper bags in her hand, "Long time no see." She smiled at him, and it made his insides twist into knots.

He smiled back, "Barbara." He tucked his phone in his pocket and rested his hand on the railing on the stairs.

"I wanted to come by and apologize." Barbara said, walking down to stand on the first step so she and Dick were standing at the same height. "I could have handled things better than the way I did." She brushed a red curl back behind her ear and look Dick in the eye, "Do you mind if I come in? I've kind of been standing out here for awhile."

Dick nodded, "Yeah, sure." She let him pass her on the steps and he unlocked the door to his apartment. He swung it open to let Barbara in, then followed her, kicking it shut behind him and shrugging his jacket off.

"You went back to that coat?" Barbara asked as he hung it up.

He smiled a little, "Uh, someone else has my other one right now." He said, stooping over to untie his shoes.

"Doesn't that coat you're wearing have holes in the pockets?" Barbara arched an eyebrow, "Why'd you give away your good coat?"

"'Cause someone else needed it." Dick kicked his shoes off and grinned at Barbara, "I'll get it back eventually."

Barbara rolled her eyes, "Hungry?" She asked, holding up the bags.

"Starving, actually." Dick agreed, nodding a little and walking towards the kitchen. Barbara followed behind him.

"Food might be a little cold." Barbara passed one of the bags towards Dick and he opened it.

He set the burger Barbara had brought him on the table and unwrapped it, "That's okay." He looked up at her, "Is the food part of the apology? Because it's working."

Barbara snorted and pulled her own burger out of the bag she'd handed Dick. She set the other one on the table and stopped Dick's hand when he reached for it, "Food is apart of the apology, but that bag is for later." She scolded with a smile.

Dick huffed like a child and then chuckled, biting into his burger.

They ate for a moment before Barbara cleared her throat, "Another part of the apology is an invitation to the Carnival this weekend." She said, "There's going to be rides and music and games and food and stuff."

Dick looked at her for a moment, "Barbara..." He started, but she held up her hand to stop him.

"I still stand by what I said, you and I can't work as a couple." She cut him off, "But I miss you and I still want to be friends. So it'd be a just friends thing. Is that okay?"

Dick relaxed and smiled, "Yeah." He said, "The carnival sounds great." He took another bite of his burger, chewed, then swallowed and added, "I missed you too."

 

"Mom, it's like noon, time to get up." Jason announced, walking into the master bedroom. His dad had left hours ago for work, and since it was a Saturday, he wanted to get Catherine out of the house for a little while. He prodded her in the side with two fingers and she moved her arm from over her eyes, staring up at him like a petulant child.

"Jason, you're still a teenager, you should be out causing trouble at noon on a Saturday." She informed him.

Jason snorted, "Can't go out and cause trouble without a partner in crime." He said, "C'mon, get up. We've got plans today."

Catherine sat up in bed and glared mildly at her son, who stared back at her determinedly. After a moment she got out of bed, "You win. Give me a bit to get ready and we can go out." She said.

Jason nodded, "I've got food for whenever you're ready, and then we can leave." He left the room and went back to his own room to grab his phone and text Roy.

**Jason: Plans still on. Got money for tickets?**

**Roy: Yep! See you there.**

Roy responded a second later. Jason grinned and checked his other texts before tucking his phone in his pocket and heading out to the kitchen to wait for his mom.

About an hour later, Jason was handing Catherine the spare helmet he kept for his bike, and Catherine clicked her tongue disapprovingly as he helped her put it on, "You better not kill us on that thing." She said, tilting her head back so he could fasten the buckle beneath her chin.

"Ah, come on, ma, you know me. Couldn't be safer on the road if I tried." Jason grinned and Catherine shook her head.

"You are a reckless boy. That is what I know." She said.

Jason snickered and got on the bike, "Come on, it's a short ride, you won't even have time to be scared." He promised.

"Where on earth are you taking me?" Catherine asked as she got on the back of Jason's bike, "Usually, we walk."

"We're going uptown today, mom, can't walk." Jason told her before starting his bike and drowning out whatever response she had.

Jason was careful on the drive up to the fairgrounds, and let Catherine off the bike before he went to park it. When he found her again, Roy had as well, and they were both waiting for him by the entrance of the parking lot, and Roy was already talking animatedly about the different kinds of food vendors at the Carnival this year.

Jason rolled his eyes and walked up to them, tucking his hands in his pockets to feel for his wallet, "Hey man." He greeted Roy, hugging him briefly before nodding towards the ticket booth, "Ready?" He looked at Catherine, who looked amused.

"I don't know how you go the money to pay for this, Jay." She said as Jason paid for entrance for both himself and her.

Jason shrugged one shoulder, "Don't worry about it. It was legal." He assured her, "Mostly." He added, and then laughed as Catherine smacked him upside the head.

"It was completely legal, Catherine, Jay's on the straight'n'narrow." Roy pitched in as he paid for his own entrance and slipped past Jason to walk in front of them.

Jason nodded, putting on a serious look, "Promise." He said.

Catherine rolled her eyes and slipped her arm through Jason's, "Better be." She said.

Jason smiled, "C'mon, gotta enjoy the day while it lasts. Doesn't stay sunny in Gotham for too long." He insisted, tugging Catherine along gently after Roy.

 

Dick pushed his sunglasses up the bridge of his nose as he and Barbara walked around the Carnival, "What'd'ya think, should we try a few rigged games?" He asked, looking down at the woman with a grin.

Barbara smiled back, "If anyone can win something it's you." She agreed, changing directions to tug Dick towards where the games were situated.

"Are you hoping for one of those gigantic stuffed bears, because let me tell you, I am not carrying one of those around all day." Dick said as he followed her.

She laughed and shook her head, "Maybe just a little one." She told him, slowing down when they got to the games, "Which one should we try first?"

Dick hummed thoughtfully and looked around, "Dunno. Dunk tank? Darts? The one with the milk bottles?" He listed.

Barbara tilted her head and rubbed her chin in mock thought, "Darts. And then the milk bottles. And then the dunk tank. And then the one with the gold fish." She decided, "In that order."

"You want to carry a gold fish around the entire day?" Dick asked as he started walking towards the game with the darts first.

Dick paid the unenthusiastic carnival working the stand and picked up the darts. The young man mumbled about popping balloons with the darts to win prizes. Dick nodded and waited for the go ahead before he threw the three darts in his hand, popping one balloon with each dart.

"Congrats, man." The carnie mumbled, "You can get one of the small stuffies, or you can pay for another turn and win something bigger." He gestured to the row of small stuffed animals.

Dick looked at Barbara, "Get the little bird stuffie." She said, pointing to a small stuffed robin available in the first row of prizes.

"We'll take that one, then, please." Dick said. The carnie handed it over and Barbara stepped forward to pay for her turn. She won a small bear with a bow, then they set out for the milk bottles.

"You know, the bottles at the bottom are weighted, so they're harder to knock over." Dick said as they approached the booth and waited in line.

Barbara stepped forward and paid the worker at the booth, and got three softballs in return, "Don't worry about it. I don't need to win." She said as the rules were explained. She reeled her arm back when she was told she could throw, and threw the ball, hitting the middle bottom bottle of one of the pyramids and sending them scattering.

Dick whistled, "Impressive."

Barbara threw the other two balls, and ended up knocking over two out of three of the pyramids. She folded her arms and turned to smile at Dick, "Your turn, Grayson." She said.

"You still need to pick a prize, lady." The carnie at the booth said.

Barbara turned around, "How about that kangaroo." She pointed to the one she meant, and it was handed to her.

Dick waited for the bottles to be set back up before he paid for his turn. He managed to knock down one of the pyramids, and Barbara giggled happily beside him. He chose a cat with giant eyes to go with his stuffed robin, and Barbara ran off ahead of him to find the dunk tank, forcing him to run after her, "Come on, Babs!"

He weaved through the crowd, and stopped beside Barbara where she was waiting in line at the dunk tank, "You suck." He informed her.

She laughed again, "You gotta keep up." She teased, nudging him a little.

Dick saw something coming at him in his peripheral, and he turned. A beanbag hit him square in the face and dropped to his feet. He looked down at it, and rubbed his nose, "What the hell?" He said.

A worker off to their left was saying, "Sir, you're supposed to throw the beanbag at the boxes, not at other people."

To which a very familiar voice responded, "Your games are all rigged anyways."

Dick grinned and stooped to pick up the beanbag. A glance at Barbara told him she was about to storm over there and get mad at the person who'd thrown it.

"Relax, Babs." He said, "I'll be right back." He gave her a smile before walking over to the booth and setting the beanbag down.

Jason smirked at him and held up a hand in greeting, "Fancy meeting you here." He said.

Dick waved and then tucked his hands in his pockets, "Can't say I mind the coincidence." He admitted.

Jason glanced over Dick's shoulder and arched an eyebrow, "Hi."

Barbara, who had come up behind Dick without him noticing, moved around to stand beside him, "Hello." She said with a friendly smile.

Dick cleared his throat, "Uh, this is Barbara. Babs, this is Jason." He introduced.

"Nice to meet you." Barbara said.

"Likewise." Jason seemed uncomfortable rather suddenly.

Dick was opening his mouth to say something again when a red-headed man about Jason's age came over and put himself in between Jason and Dick, "Look, whatever he did to you or to your girl, ignore him. He's an idiot."

"I am- Roy! What the hell! Why do you automatically assume I've pissed someone off?" Jason asked indignantly.

The red-head, Roy apparently, turned, "Because, Jay, you're an idiot."

Jason shoved Roy a little and Roy snickered, stepping back with it easily so he didn't stumble.

"Jackass." Jason mumbled, smiling just a little, before he paused, "Where's mom?"

"She's coming. I ran ahead because I thought you were about to get your ass kicked." Roy turned to look at Dick after that, "Who're you?"

"Uh... Dick Grayson. And this is Barbara."

Roy stared for a moment before he scowled, "Oh, I remember Jason talking about you. You have a girlfriend? What the fuck, man."

Jason grabbed Roy by the shoulder and pulled him back hard, making him stumble this time, "Cool it, Roy." He growled.

"I'm not his girlfriend." Barbara spoke up, "What's going on here?"

"Nothing." Jason said quickly, "I just wanted to say hi." He tightened his grip on Roy's shoulder, "We gotta go." He turned to go back in the direction Roy had come from and walked off with Roy in tow before Dick could say anything.

Barbara watched them go for a second before she looked at Dick, "What was that?" She asked.

"That was Jason. We hung out like a week ago, and we've been texting back and forth." Dick sighed softly and ran his fingers through his hair.

Barbara shook her head, "You sure pick bad company, Dick." She said.

"What do you mean?"

"Jason Todd. I know him. He used to end up in the GCPD holding cells like once a week when he was this weedy teenager, for dumb shit like vandalism or petty theft, assault once, even."

Dick frowned, "That's the past, Babs."

"Just because dad hasn't seen him since he was sixteen, doesn't mean he stopped doing that shit, just means he's better at not getting caught." Barbara argued.

Dick rubbed the back of his neck, digging his fingernails in a little, "Yeah yeah, I'll be careful." He muttered.

Barbara sighed and slumped her shoulders, "Let's go get something to eat." She suggested.

"Don't you wanna do the dunk tank?"

Barbara shook her head again, "In a bit. Food first."

 

"Jesus christ, Roy, what the hell?" Jason hissed as soon as they were out of view of Dick and Barbara, "I didn't need you to come make things more awkward than they already were." He pushed at Roy's shoulder, and Roy shoved back, knocking him into some poor woman who hurried off.

"Pretty boys are trouble, I thought you were starting shit again." Roy hissed.

"Better not be." Catherine said as she walked over to them, "Don't need you getting arrested for assault again. It'll stick this time. You're an adult now." She folded her arms and glared at the boys.

Jason ducked his head, "Wasn't anything like that, mom." He said, "I was talking to someone when this idiot came and fucked things up." He elbowed Roy and Roy punched him in the arm.

"Knock it off. And watch your language." Catherine cuffed the both of them about the head like they were unruly preteens again.

"Sorry, Mrs. Todd." Roy grumbled, rubbing his ear.

"Sorry, mom." Jason echoed.

Catherine nodded, "You win anything, Jason?" She asked.

Jason paused and then groaned, "Ah, hell." He pulled the beanbags out of his pocket.

"Guess we gotta go back." Roy snickered.

Jason huffed softly and started to trudge back towards the booth.

 

It was starting to get dark out, and Dick had officially lost Barbara somewhere at the Carnival, likely when they ran into Stephanie and Cassandra, but he'd been wandering alone for a good hour now and was considering calling her when spotted Jason again. He pulled out his phone and sent him a text.

**Dick: Turn around.**

Jason checked his phone then looked over his shoulder before turning around and smiling, "Hey." He waved as Dick approached.

Dick couldn't really help but smile back, "Hey." He stopped in front of Jason and tucked his phone back in his pocket, "So, that was kind of awkward earlier."

Jason snorted a little, "Sorry about that. But Roy's not here now." He said, rubbing the back of his neck, "He had to leave."

"Well, I lost Barbara. Like an hour ago. I'm pretty sure she's hanging out with my little brother's girlfriend."

"That's kind of weird." Jason arched an eyebrow.

Dick shrugged, "Our entire family is weird." He rocked on his heels, "Wanna hang out for the remaining, like... Hour and a half the Carnival is open?" He asked.

"Couldn't hurt." Jason replied, "Anything particular you wanna do?"

"We could go on a carnival ride. I could win you a stuffy." Dick suggested, earning a laugh from Jason.

"Am I expected to swoon once you win me something plush?"

"I'm sure you could win your own, but isn't it nice to get gifts?" Dick smiled and started to walk, Jason easily keeping pace with him.

"I'll only be impressed by one of those ridiculously oversized stuffies. I won't settle for less." Jason informed him, tilting his head up a little and then laughing more.

"I will win an oversized bear for you, but first, you have to come on the Tilt-a-Whirl with me." Dick said, walking towards the rides.

"Deal."

They walked together, shoulders and fingers brushing every so often, to the rides and got in line for the Tilt-a-Whirl. Due to the lengthening shadows, the line was relatively short, and they were at the front quickly. Dick handed the ride operator tickets for the ride and he and Jason got a car together.

"You're lucky I don't get motion sickness." Jason said as they pulled the hold bar down.

Dick eyed Jason, "Is that a promise? I don't know if I could forgive you if you threw up on me." He said.

Jason rolled his eyes, "Your clothing is safe." He said.

The ride started and Jason shifted a little, planting his feet so that he wouldn't jostle around as much as the ride sped up. It didn't prevent him from being tossed into Dick's side as their car whipped around the platform.

Dick laughed a little and smiled at Jason, "Not a bad deal." He said, shifting his arm out from between them. His smile softened a little when Jason shifted closer to his side, and he rested his arm over the other man's shoulder.

They both staggered slightly as they got off the ride, bumping shoulders and pausing once they were clear to regain their bearings.

"Okay, that was kind of fun." Jason admitted, once he stopped swaying.

Dick chuckled, "Tilt-a-Whirl is always one of my favourite rides." He said, pulling his phone out to check it because it had gone off during the ride. He had a text.

**Barbara: Got a ride home with Steph and Cass. Was tired and couldn't find you. Stay safe and have fun! [kissy winking face]**

**Dick: Just as long as you got home. I'll call you in the morning. [toothy smiley face]**

Jason waited patiently, but as soon as Dick's phone was away, he grabbed Dick's hand, "There's cotton candy over there." He pointed as he began to walk.

"Isn't it kind of late for concentrated sugar?" Dick asked, following along with Jason.

"Never too late for concentrated sugar." Jason replied, shooting Dick a grin over his shoulder.

When they got to the vendor, Jason didn't let go of his hand as they stood in line, so Dick laced their fingers together. Jason glanced at him, but didn't say anything or pull his hand away, so Dick didn't let go either.

They got to the front of the line, and Jason got a cone of pink cotton candy, and before he could pay, Dick handed over the necessary cash.

"You sure like to pay for things." Jason commented as he pulled a chunk of floss from the cone with his teeth.

"I have the money to spend, I guess." Dick said with a shrug, "I can stop if you want."

"Hey, you won't catch me complaining about not having to spend my own money. As long as I don't owe you anything." Jason offered Dick some of the cotton candy and Dick pulled a piece off using his free hand.

"I'll keep that in mind." Dick smiled, "Let's go win that oversized bear."

After the cotton candy was finished, the bear was won (after a few tries), and the carnival was closing, Dick walked with Jason back to the parking lot, and to where Jason had parked his bike. "How the fuck do you intend to get this thing home on that?" Dick asked, gesturing to the bear slung around Jason's shoulders.

Jason looked thoughtful, "I guess I don't." He chuckled, "You could take it home." He suggested after a beat.

Dick stared at it and then sighed, "But what about you? Going home empty handed?"

Jason shrugged, "Doesn't matter much to me." He said, passing the bear off to Dick, "I can get it back eventually." He looked at Dick kind of hopefully as he said it.

Dick nodded and grinned, "Eventually." He draped the bear over his own shoulders, "I'll see you later, then?"

"Whenever you feel like it. You have my number." Jason said, smiling back.

"Bye, Jay." Dick gave a little wave before tucking his hands in his pockets and walking off to his car. As he was stuffing the giant bear in the back seat, the little stuffed robin fell out of his pocket and stared up at him from the ground.

He picked it up and jogged back to where Jason was starting his bike, holding up his hand and waving, "Hey, Jay, wait!"

Jason flipped up his visor and leaned forward over the handle bars, "What's up?"

Dick offered Jason the stuffed robin, "As a place holder until you come get your bear." He said.

Jason stared at the robin for long enough that Dick was worried he wasn't going to take it, before he laughed, "Uh, thanks." He smiled at Dick and put the robin in the pocket of his jacket, "I'll hold onto it." He leaned back again and flipped down the visor of his helmet, "See ya around, Dickie."

Dick stepped out of the way as Jason revved the engine on his bike and pulled out with a little wave. The whole walk back to his car, and the whole drive home after that, he couldn't keep the stupid smile off his face.

**Author's Note:**

> i didn't forget about catherine  
> roy took her home
> 
> comments and kudos, as always, are much appreciated.


End file.
